Scaffold.



E. WHITNEY.

SGAFFOLD.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN.28. 1911. 998,270, Patented July 18,1911.

2SHEETSSHEET1.

EGBEBT WHITNEY, OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

SCAFFOLD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Application filed January 28, 1911. Serial No. 605,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Earner WHITNEY, c1tizen of the United States,residing at Omaha,

in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in scaffolds, .ofwhich the following is aspecification.

walls from an outside scaffold.

from windows or other orifices through the walls of thebuilding, or tohang temporary scaffolds from depending members supported upon the upperedge of the frame or walls being constructed. This class of scaffoldsnecessitates the knocking down of the same and the reerection of thescaffold every five or six feet of theentire height-of the wall duringits erection. Scaffolds have also been used which employ drums aboutwhich are wound cables depending from an overhanging beam supported atthe top of the steel frame of the building. In raising the scaffold thecable is wound about the drum taking up considerable space as it nearsthe top of the building and increasing the size of the drum, the latternecessitating a corresponding increase in the power for turning the drumwhen raising a given load.

An object of this invention is to provide a'scaffold which overcomes theabove objections and which may be raised or lowered at will against thewall being erected or the steel frame of the building.

The invention contemplates a scaffold which is hung upon a pair ofoutwardly projecting timbers disposed upon the top of the frameof thebuilding by means of cables which extend down from the timbers towardthe ground. The scaffold isprovidedwith an improved mechanismthroughwhich the cables pass in order toraise or lower'the scaffold.

The improved scaffold is further provided with a double check or brakingmechanism engaging with the cable to insure the safety of the workmenwhen operating the scaffold and while working upon the wall.

knowledge of the details of construction, reference isto be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure]. is a detail perspective view of the improved scafd'oldasapplied'to the outer wall-of a building; Fig. 2 is a front eleva- Thisinvention relates to an improved scaffold for use in'the erection ofbuildings of stone, brick, cement and the like, and especially to thatclass of buildings which are known as steel or reinforced buildings}wherein it is the custom to form the outeri tion of one of the hoistinframes detached from the scaffold; Fig. 3 1s an edge view of the same;Fig. 4: is a section on the line H of the clutches employed; Fig. 7 is aside Heretofore it has been the custom to erect; temporary" scaffoldsupon timbers projectedi top of the building 10 and have their outer endsprojecting beyond the side thereof to carry depending cables .12 uponwhich the scaffold is supported.

The scaffold is formed with a supporting frame at each corner thereofreceiving the adjacent depending cable 12, and being provided with novelmeans hereinafter set. forth,

for moving the frame upon the cable to vertically adjustthe scaffold.The suppcrting frames are of like structure, each one of whichcomprises'a air of companion bars,

13 and 14 curved e gewise into inverted U- form. The bars Band 14 arespaced apart at their upper closed ends by transversely spaced rollers15 supported upon rivets 16 passing transversely through the barsandbeing headed against the outer faces thereof. The cable 12 passesdown between the bars 13 and 14:, andbetween the rollers 15 which centerthe-cable in the upper end of the frame. The lower ends of the bars 13arecurved'back and up providing loops 17, the upper ends of which rest aainst the inner faces of the lower ends of t e bar 14. Rivets 18 passthrough the lower ends of the bar 1.4, the upturned ends of the loops1?, and the bar 13 to bind thesame together,

the bars being spaced apart by sleeves 19 carried about the rivets 18. Asupport-ing rod 20 is fitted at its ends in the loops 17 and is headedat its extremities to engage against the outer edges of the loops 17 tohold the rod 20 from longitudinal displacement. f

The upper end of the frame is provided with a pair of companion crossbraces 21 secured at their ends across the outer faces of the bars 13and 14 by rivets 22 passing through the same. Upper-- links 23 are tweenthe bars 13 and 14 upon the rivets 26, the links 27 being disposed inpairs and being spaced apart by collars 28 carried upon the rivets 26. Apair of vertical clutch members 29 are carried upon the innor ends ofthe links 23 and 27 and are formed with longitudinal grooves 30 in theirinner o posite faces, and are provided with outwar ly extending cars 31adjacent to their opposite ends fitting between each pair 'of the links23 and 27. Pins 32 pivotally connect the ears 31 to the links so as toeffeet the parallel movement of the clutch members 29. Each of theclutch members 29 is provided with a lateral guide 33, the same beingdisposed at the opposite sides of the clutches, for engagement in aregistering transverse groove 34 formed in the opposite side of theopposite clutch and adapted to hold the clutches in registration withone another. I

Transverse pins 35 are carried between the bars 13 and 14 and supportthe outer ends of a pair of leaf springs 36 which are turned up at theirends to engage about the pins 35 toprevent the displacement ofthe-springs I 36. The springs 36 extend in toward the clutch members 29and pass over stops 37 carried across the upper braces 21. Lips 38project outwardly from the clutch-members 29 above the upper ears 31 andform shoulders for the reception of the inner ends of the leaf springs36 to hold the clutch members 29 normally up.

The frame is provided midway of its ends, and against-the bar 13, with apair of transversely registering brackets 39 held thereon by bolts 40.The bolts 40 pass through the bars 13 and 14 and carry thereaboutspacing sleeves 41 to insure the rigid:

ity of the brackets 39 upon the frame. The drum 42 is carried by theframe and has its trunnions jo'urnaled in the outer ends of the brackets39, and receives thereover the cable'12; The brackets 39 carry the drum42 at the inner side of the frame so that the cable 12 passes in astraight line up from the by short bolts 46.

drum 42 between the clutch members 29 to prevent the binding of thecable against the lower ends of the same.

As is disclosed in Figs. 2 and 4, the cable 12 is wound about the drum.with but four,

grooves 44 snugly receiving the convolu-' tions of the cable. The.roller 43 is 'jour- -naled inb'rackets 45 which are secured attheir'lower ends against the outer face of the bar 14 by the. lowerbolts 40, and are held against the bar. 14 at their upper ends Thebrackets 45 are slotted longitudinally at their ends to' receive thebolts 40 and 46 and to admit of the adjustment of the brackets 45longitudinally upon the-frame to move the roller 43 toward and from thedrum 42.

One end of the drum 42 is provided with a fixed ratchet 47,by means ofwhich the drum is actuated. The drum 42 carries a segment 48 upon one ofits trunnions, as at 49, against the outer side of the ratchet 47, thesegment 48 having an offset web 50 overhanging the ratchet 47. Asupporting arm 51 projects up from the inner edge of the web 50 andhingedly supports a hand lever 52. The arm 51 is provided midway of itsends, and at its inner edge, with a projection 53 formed withalongitudinal slot 54 in which is adjustably positioned a stop-bolt 55.The stop-bolt 55 projects into the path of the lever 52 and engagestherewith when to the segment48 when it is desired to swing the segmentout from the frame.

The web 50 is relatively narrow to accommodate pawls 56 and 57 hingedupon pins 58 carried through the lower corners of the arm 51 and theupper corners of the segment 48. A- leaf spring 59 is secured mid way ofits ends by a screw 60 upon the web 50 and has its opposite extremitiesresting against the pawls 56 and 57. The pawls 56 and 57 are providedwith shoulders 61 determining flat faces arranged at angles upon thepawls and against which the ends of the springs 59 rest when the pawlsare turned into or out of operation. The pawl 56 carries an outwardlyprojecting lug 62 by means of which the pawl is raised out of engagementwith the ratchet 47. The hand lever 52 is hinged adjacent to its lowerend upon the upper extremity of the arm 51 by a rivet 63. The lower endof the hand lever 52 terminates a short distance I tioned across thesupporting rods 20 of each essa-1o disclosed to advantage in Fig. 8, theshoe "of the cable 12. The shoe 64 is provided with spaced upstanding lu65 receiving therebetween the lower en of the hand lever 52. The lugs 65are hinged upon the lever 52 by a rivet or pin 66. The lugs 65 are ofsuch length'that when the lever- 52 is swung up againshthe adjacent bar13 of the frame, the shoe 64 binds tightly against the cable 12 and'holds the cable and the drum from movement. The bar 13 carries a hook67 mounted upon a swivel-eye (SS-carried upon the bar 13 in registrationwith the hand lever 42. The hook 67 is adapted to engage and hold theleveragainst the frame in a locked position. I

In theerection of the scaffold the above described frames are arrangedin pairs, the frames facing one another so as to dispose,

the hand "levers 52 convenient to the hand of the o'pera't'ors, as shownin Fig. 1'. End beams 69, of conslderable'thickness, are posipair offrames. The floor or body of the scaffold comprises a nu -ber oflongitudinal beams 70 arranged longitudinally across the end beams 69upon which they are supported.

In raising the scaffold the levers 52 are released from the hooks 67 andswung out from the frames. This movement of'each 'of the levers raisesthe adjacent brake shoe 64 from the cable 12 and draws the segment 48around to move the pawls 56 and 57 over the teeth of the ratchet 47. Inmoving the 1 segment 48 the lower end of the hand lever 5t. strikes thestop-bolt- 55 and limits the outward swinging of the hand lever 52 aboutthe pin-66. The weight of the scaffold now draws the frame down andpermits the leaf springs 36 to raisethe clutches 29 and bind the sameagainst the sides of the cable 12. This holds the frame from moving downabout the cable 12. The hand lever 52 is now moved in toward the frame,the sameswinging about the pin 63 and binding the shoe 64 against thecable 12 and the drum 42. At the same time the segment 48 is carriedwith the lever 52, by reason of its binding action against the drum'42,and the pawls 56 and 57 engage with the teeth of'the ratchet 47 toinsure the turning of the drum 42. The cable is moved over the drum 42du'ring its rotation to draw the cable down between the clutches 29 andfeed the cable out through the lower end of the frame. By reason of thespring action of the clutches 29 the cable can be drawn down between theclutches, but cannot be moved up therebetween until the clutches areheld down by hand. The operation of the'lever 52 is repeatedwhereby thedrum is turned a fractionof a revolution at each inward movement ofthelever 52. v

In lowering the scaffold the clutches 29 ,are drawn down against thetension of the springs 30 and held away from the sides of the cable 12while the hand lever 52 is movedout from the frame a slight distance toease up the pressure. of the brake shoe 54 against the cab frame isbeing lowered the pawls 5 6 and 57 are raised 'out of thepath of theteeth of the ratchet 47, the same being held in such position by thespring 59' engaging against the opposite flattened faces of the pawls,for the purpose of freeing the drum and allowing it to rotatebackwardly' beneath the Web 50. j I

. From. this construction and arrangement it is seen that this scaffoldadjusting device is adapted for use in connection wlth very e and thedrum. Whenthe high buildings wherein a large amount of cable cannot beconveniently carried, and

wherein it is not necessary to knock down and reconstruct the scafioldateach elevation ofethe same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A scaffold including a supporting frame, a vertical cable passingthrough the frame, a drum rotatably disposed in the to bind the cablethereagains't, aratchet fixed upon one end of the drum, pawls carried bythe segment for engagement with I the ratchet to rotate thedrum, and'astop carried by the arm for limiting the movement ofthe lever andcommunicating its movement to the segment.

2. A scaffold including a frame, a cable depending through the frame, adrum mounted upon the frame and receivin' the cable thereabout, and anoperating Iever hinged in the frame and havlng connection with the drumfor rotating the, same, said operating lever carrying braking means toregulate the passage of the cable through the frame.

3. A scaffold including a vertical cable, a frame engaging about thecable for vertical adjustment, a drum carried by the frame and receivingthe cable, operating means carried by the frame for revolving the drumto raise the frame about the cable, and a bra-king mechanism carriedbythe frame and having connection to the operating mechanism forcontrolling the movement of the cable throu h the frame.

. 4. scaffold including a vertical supportanism carried by the bars toengagethe op- 'iposite sides of the cable to hold the frame from movingdown thereabout, a feeding drum carried in the frame and engaging thecable, asegment carried-by the frame concentric to the drum, a ratchetcarried upon one end of the drum, pawls hinged. upon the segment, aspring carried by the segment and engaging with the pawls to hold thesame against the ratchet,shoulders' formed upon the pawls'for engagementwith the spring to hold the. pawls'out of engagement with the ratchet,and a brake shoe carried by the segment for engagement against the cableand the drum to control the downward movement of the ame when the pawlsare released from the ratchet.

5. A scaffold including a corner frame, a supporting cable for theframe, cooperating clutch members carried in the upper end of the framefor engagement with the cable, a drum mounted upon the frame to receivethe cable'thereove'r, a lever carried upon the frame andhavingoperativ-e connection with the drum for rotating the same to raisethe frame, and a brake shoe carried upon the lever and binding againstthe drum-to regulate the downward movement of the frame about the cable.

6. A scaffold including a corner frame, a cable passing through thecorner frame,=a drum journaled in the frame and receiving the-cablethereover, a lever pivoted in the frame and having connection with thedrum for rotating the same, a brake shoe carried by the lever forbinding against the cable and the drum during rotation, and a clutchmechanism carriedin the frame to hold the cable from movementtherethrough when released by the lever.

7. A scaffold including acorn'er frame, a cable depending through theframe, an operating lever carried by the frame, locking means connectedto the lever for engagement with the cable to hold thesame from movementthrough-the frame, a drum journaled in the frame and having the cablewound thereabout, and'rotating means haveeaavo ing connection with thelever and engaging with the drum for revolving the same.

8. A scaffold including a corner frame, a vertical supporting cablepassing through the corner frame, a feeding drum. journaled in the frameand receiving the cable, a clutch carried in the frame for engagementwith the cable to hold the frame from downward movement .thereabout, anoperating lever carried by the frame and having connection with'the drumto rotate the same, releasing means disposed in the frame and havingconnection with the drum and the lever to release the drum therefrom,and a brake carried by the lever for engagement with the drum to controlthe downward movement of the frame when the drum is released.

9. A scaffold including a corner frame, a.

vertical supporting cable passing through the frame, a feeding drumjournaled in the frame and receiving the cable, an operating levercarried by the frame and having connection with the drum to rotate thesame, a brake carried in the frame for engagement with the drum tocontrol the downward movement of the frame, and connecting meansarranged between the brake and the operating lever adapted to apply thebrake upon the release of the drum from the lever.

10. A scaffold including a vertical frame, a cable depending through theframe for supporting the .same, an automatic clutch carried in the upperend of the frame and engaging with the cable to normally bind the cablein the frame, a feeding drum journaled in the frame and engaging withthe EGBERT WHITNEY. 1. 5.1

Witnesses:

LOTTIE MARTIN, M. S. WHITNEY.

